with Corey Chambas

To meet or not to meet, that is the question

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I have a friend who moved to the Pacific Northwest after college and worked at Reebok and Adidas, which are obviously large companies. Recently he went out on his own to be a consultant. We talked about why he made the change, how it was going, and so on, and he really seemed to like his new gig. When I asked what he missed least about his old job, he quickly replied, "The meetings!"

A lot of people complain about how much time they waste in meetings. So why should you even have them?

In anything but the very smallest business, some regular staff meetings are necessary for good general communication. But what about other meetings and ad hoc “get-togethers” organized to address issues?

I’m halfway through an interesting book called The Checklist Manifesto (yes, I said interesting, and no, I’m not a nerd) by Atul Gawande. The premise is to utilize checklists to get things right, particularly for process-driven or procedural activities. He makes a compelling argument, using examples of improvements made by pilots and surgery teams where checklists have become the norm. But even in the book, the author acknowledges that complex situations require interaction and discussion to get the best outcome. Hence, at times, there is a need to meet.

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About This Blog

Corey Chambas has over 30 years of business experience. He is the President and CEO of First Business Financial Services, Inc., is chairman of the board of M3 Insurance Solutions, an advisory board member of Aldine Capital Fund, and a member of the board of the United Way of Dane County and the 2018 Campaign Chair.